Alec MacGillis
I have been reporting for ProPublica since 2015, most recently covering the post-pandemic schools crisis.
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What I Cover
In recent years, I have covered gun violence, economic inequality and the post-pandemic crisis in public education.
My Background
I worked for six newspapers, including The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Post. In 2011, I switched to magazines, at The New Republic, before arriving at ProPublica in 2015. My work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic and The New York Times Magazine, among others. I won the 2016 Robin Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting, the 2017 Polk Award for National Reporting and the 2017 Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award. A resident of Baltimore, I am the author of “The Cynic: The Political Education of Mitch McConnell” and “Fulfillment: America in the Shadow of Amazon.”
Two Cities Took Different Approaches to Pandemic Court Closures. They Got Different Results.
Did closing courts contribute to the resurgence in violent crime that began in 2020? What happened in Albuquerque and Wichita may provide clues.
Trial Diary: A Journalist Sits on a Baltimore Jury
Could 12 strangers agree on justice in Baltimore, a city riddled with killings and distrust of the police, in a shooting case where the victim was an actor on the legendary drama “The Wire”?
How the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Upended Germany
In the few weeks since Putin’s forces moved on Ukraine, Germany has rethought its energy policy, overhauled its diplomatic stance toward Russia and reconsidered its military role in the world. Said one observer, “It’s staggering.”
What Germany’s Effort to Leave Coal Behind Can Teach the U.S.
The German government agreed to a commitment to transition away from the fossil fuel for environmental reasons. But the obstacles are steep.
What Philadelphia Reveals About America’s Homicide Surge
There are many explanations for the rise in killings in U.S. cities, including the pandemic and the choices made in response to it. In Philadelphia, the causes, the human costs — and the suffering — are particularly stark.
Kushner Companies Violated Multiple Laws in Massive Tenant Dispute, Judge Rules
Judge finds Kushner-owned management company charged "deceptive" fees to thousands of tenants, in lawsuit filed after ProPublica found widespread problems in their apartments.
Lessons From Bessemer: What Amazon’s Union Defeat Means for the American Labor Movement
Did the failed vote in Alabama deliver a fatal blow to employees’ union efforts, or is it just a temporary setback? History offers a few clues.
The Lost Year: What the Pandemic Cost Teenagers
In Hobbs, New Mexico, the high school closed and football was cancelled, while just across the state line in Texas, students seemed to be living nearly normal lives. Here’s how pandemic school closures exact their emotional toll on young people.
Inside the Capitol Riot: What the Parler Videos Reveal
The trove of more than 500 videos recovered from a largely pro-Trump social platform provides a uniquely immersive account of the violence and confusion as seen from inside the insurrection.
The Boeing 737 MAX Is Cleared to Fly. Families of People Who Died on the Planes Wait for Answers.
One federal agency says the plane, implicated in 346 deaths, is now safe and the investigation is done. Another federal agency says it can’t hand over information until the Ethiopian government is finished investigating.